Letter of the Day: September 6

Dear Doctor:

I have been called upon to give testimony in a criminal case - in which there is a bullet wound of the head with extensive fracture of the skull – and no external marks of violence.

Would I be asking or troubling you too much in requesting you to send me such photographs as will have a bearing upon the case, such as will illustrate the average amount of fracture of the skull from bullets, + especially pistol shots.

Also such as will illustrate well authenticated cases of fracture from “Contre Coup.”

With great respect
I have the honor to be-
Very Sincerely,
Your Obdt Servant
A. Van Deveer

^^^^

Respectfully submitted to the Surgeon General, U.S.A. for instructions. A certain number of the illustrations contained in the Army Medical Museum on the subjects referred to have been photographed and prints have been furnished to two medical men of Albany, engaged in a medico-legal inquiry – possibly the same to which Dr. Van Derveer refers.

George A. Otis
Ass’t Surg. USA

SGO
Sept. 13. 69.

^^^^

Let him have them if in hand --

Letter of the Day: September 5

U.S.A. Post Hospital,
Fort Niagara, N.Y., September 5, 1879.

Asst. Surg. G.A. Otis, U.S.A.
Washington, D.C.

Sir:

In looking through one of the old volumes of the Medical History of the Post, I found this memorandum. These old relics are now in the Hospital Dead House. If you would like to have them sent on for the Army Medical Museum I will have them packed and turned over to the Post Quartermaster for transportation to you.

Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
William Wilson
Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Post Surgeon

^^^^

Shot and Shell!
--+--

Relics of the Siege of Fort Niagara, N.Y., in 1759, -- fired by the forces of General Prideaux, and Sir William Johnson, --the Fort being held by the French.

These missiles were picked out of the old walls of the Fort when those walls were taken down, preparitory (sic) to the building of the present ones in 1843 and immediate subsequent years. The walls were of logs, set upright and with pointed logs or timbers projecting over the top.

These articles, several hundred points in weight in all, were in the keeping of the Engineer, Brevet Colonel Wilson, and Asst. Engineer, Mr. J. Lawrance, until sold at auction with other engineer property in the spring of 1874:

I procured these pieces of the purchaser at the time of sale.

John H. Bartholf,
Captain & Asst Surgeon, U.S.A.

Fort Niagara, N.Y.
September 1, 1874

The pieces alluded to above are pieced selected by Dr. Bartholf from those sold at auction + will weigh say about 40 to 50 lbs.
W. Wilson.

^^^^

The specimens were assigned number 1001, Sect 4, but then “These specimens were turned over to the Ordnance Department, October 3, 1879.”

Letter of the Day: September 4

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 906

Sept. 4, 1895.

Mr. Nathan Joseph,
641 Clay Street,
San Francisco, Cal.

Dear Sir:-

Your letter of August 28th, addressed to Dr. J.S. Billings is received.

In reply I would say that the offer therein contained is respectfully declined, as the Army Medical Museum contains a certain number of the skulls described by you,-- sufficient for its purposes, and is not now in a position to enlarge in this line.

Very respectfully,

D. L. Huntington
Depty. Surg. Genl., U.S. Army,
In Charge of Museum and Library.

Letter of the Day: September 3

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 905

Health Department, District of Columbia
Washington, September 3rd, 1895

Dr. Walter Reed,
Curator, Army Medical Museum,
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:-

I send you herewith a dog killed on the 1st. instant and alleged to have had hydrophobia. If you can kindly arrange to make the necessary tests, I shall be greatly obliged.

Very respectfully,
Wm. C. Woodward M.D.
Health Officer.

Letter of the Day: September 2

War Department,

Surgeon General’s Office,

Washington, DC, Septbr. 2^nd, 1870

 

General,

 

I have the honor to report that in obedience to instructions from the Adjutant General’s Office, dated September 1^st, 1870, I have this day re-enlisted Hospital Steward Geo. A. Jones, to date from August 31^st, 1870, and have ordered the steward to report in person, fro duty, to the Surg Genl.

 

I herewith resp. transmit a copy of his enlistment papers.

 

E. E. Townsend

Letter of the Day: September 1

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1627

 

Fort Reno, Okla. Ter.

Sept. 1, 1896.

 

Dear Doctor:-

 

The photographs of the malarial parasite were duly received. If I do not hear from you to the contrary, I shall consider that you meant to have me keep them.

 

There were no cases of malarial fever during August at this post. But if I am again unable to find the parasite in a case which I feel certain from other evidence is malarial, I shall certainly take advantage of your very kind offer and send on some dried specimens.

 

With many thanks, I am,

 

Very truly yours,

 

Sam Q Robinson

 

Major Walter Reed,

Surgeon, U.S.A.

Army Med. Museum.

 

PR: National Library of Medicine Announces "History of Medicine Finding Aids Consortium"

 What a great project.

 

National Library of Medicine Announces “History of Medicine Finding Aids Consortium”

 

The History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) is pleased to announce the release of its prototype History of Medicine Finding Aids Consortium (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/consortium/index.html), a search-and-discovery tool for archival resources in the health sciences that are described by finding aids and held by various institutions throughout the United States. A finding aid is a tool created by archivists to give information about the contents of archival collections. Finding aids provide contextual information about collections oftentimes with detailed inventories to help researchers locate relevant materials. NLM is the world’s largest medical library and a component of the National Institutes of Health.

 

The resource crawls existing Web content managed by several partner institutions, provides keyword search functionality, and provides results organized by holding institution. Links point to the holding institution’s Web sites. Formats indexed consist of HTML, PDF and Encoded Archival Description XML. The project does not include content held in bibliographic utilities or other database-type information.

 

Crawls are conducted monthly to ensure information is current and to capture new content as it is released.

 

Current Consortium partners are:

• NLM History of Medicine Division, Archives and Modern Manuscripts Program
• Columbia University Health Center Library Archives and Special Collections
• Medical Archives of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
• University of California-San Francisco Library Archives and Special Collections
• University of Virginia Health Sciences Library Historical Collections
• Virginia Commonwealth University Tompkins-McCaw Library Special Collections and Archives

 

NLM’s History of Medicine Division invites libraries, archives and museums which include in their collections archival materials related to the history of medicine and health sciences to join.

 

For more information about the project or requests to join the Consortium, please contact John P. Rees, Archivist and Digital Resources Manager, NLM, at reesj@nlm.nih.gov.

 

 

 

Letter of the Day: August 31

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1683

 

August 31, 1896

 

To the Surgeon General, U.S. Army,

Washington, D.C.

 

General:

 

I have the honor to report that during the month of August, 1896, I have been on duty in the Surgeon General’s Office, as Curator of the Army Medical Museum, in accordance with Par. 2, S.O. No. 153, dated Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant General’s Office, Washington, D.C., July 7, 1893.

 

Very respectfully,

Walter Reed

Major and Surgeon, U.S. Army,

Curator Army Medical Museum

Medical Effects of Atomic Bombs vol. 6 scanned and online

Here's the manuscript:

 

http://www.archive.org/details/MedicalReportOfTheJointCommissionForTheInvestigationOfTheEffectsOf_612

 

and the 1951 published version:

 

http://www.archive.org/details/MedicalEffectsOfAtomicBombsVol6Published

 

These scans are part of  OHA 104 - Artificial Manuscript [Atomic Bomb Material]

1866 Catalogue of the Medical Museum scanned and online for download

 

Catalogue of the Medical and Microscopical Sections of the Army Medical Museum - Joseph Woodward & Edward Curtis

Wet tissue and microscopical slide specimens from the American Civil War in the Museum.

http://www.archive.org/details/CatalogueOfTheMedicalAndMicroscopicalSectionsOfTheArmyMedicalMuseum

 

 

 

Catalogue of the Surgical Section of the United States Army Medical Museum - Alfred A. Woodhull
Describes the American Civil War anatomical specimens, usually bone, in the Museum.

http://www.archive.org/details/CatalogueOfTheSurgicalSectionOfTheUnitedStatesArmyMedicalMuseum

Letter of the Day: August 30

Hayward & Hutchinson,

424 Ninth Street, N.W.

Elias S. Hutchinson.

Washington, D.C., August 30, 1888

 

Dr J. S. Billings

 

Dear Sir:

 

While appreciating your kindness in sending to us for estimate for a cremating furnace, but as it is so much away from our line of work we cannot give it the necessary to make a close competitive estimate + respectfully return the plans with this.

 

Truly,

Hayward & Hutchinson

 

Letter of the Day: August 29

N.D.C. Hodges, Publisher,
47 Lafayette Place.
New York, August 29th 1888.

Dr. John S. Billings.
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir,

A short time ago I returned from my trip to British Columbia. I have collected a considerable number of crania and skeletons – 86 of the former and 14 of the latter, but some parts of that province are not well represented in my collections. I should like to study the material contained in other collections, in order to ascertain the best results. Can you, please, inform me, whether and how much material there is in the Army Medical Museum from Southern Alaska (Tlinkit [sic Tlingit]), Queen Charlotte Islands and the coast of British Columbia, from Puget Sound and the Salish (Flathead) of the interior. I hope to have a chance to visit Washington this winter and trust, you will kindly permit me to examine the material in your possession. I should like to know, how much there is, in order to know, how long it would take, to go over it.

Yours very respectfully,
Dr. Franz Boas

Letter of the Day: August 28

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 906

641 Clay St. San Francisco California
Aug 28/95

Dr. Billings U.S.A.

D Sir

I have been collecting skulls for some years and have always found ready sale for them in almost any quantity to Proff Franz Boaz Clarks University Worcester Mass but unfortunately he has left and for the present is in Berlin. I have now on hand several very fine Flat Heads from Indians of this Coast and as they are not obtainable at any price except when rare chances appear of collecting them I am able to offer something rare to you and at a reasonable price which is $7.50 each. In case you would like to see one or two and are willing to pay freight both ways in case they do not suite I shall be happy to ship what I have to you on approval. I am the largest collector of Indian relics in America and your name was given to me by Dr. H.C. Yarrow.

Hoping to have the pleasure of a reply,
I am Resply
Nathan Joseph.

Washington D.C.

Letter of the Day: August 27

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1661

August 27, 1896

Dr. H.R. Storer,
Newport, R.I.

Dear Dr. Storer:

I herewith send you description of medal of Freemason’s Hospital at Hamburg, which you desired:

Obverse: A female figure, seated, holding in outstretched left a palm branch over a hospital building; serpent wound around her right arm feeds from a cup held by a genius standing at the side of the figure. O Bergmann, Hamburg. In exergue: 1795-1895.

Reverse: Inscription in a wreath of two laurel branched tied by a ribbon: Zur Erinnerung | an das | 199-jaehrige | Bestehen | des Freimaurer - | Krankenhauses | zu Hamberg | 3. October 1895.

Bronze, size 27.

Please accept my thanks for the Newport Herald containing notice of Jenner memorials and also copy of “Memorials” reprinted from Jour. Am. Med. Assoc.

Very sincerely yours,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Museum and Library Division

Letter of the Day: August 26

12^th U.S. Infantry,

Tompkins Square

New York

August 26^th 1863

 

Surgeon J.H. Brinton U.S.A.

Washington D.C.

 

Doctor.

 

I send you by Express a few specimens of balls, extracted at Gettysburg, Pa. with an account of each case.

 

Also., a few spiculae of bone. It was my intention to leave them with you when in Washington but the matter escaped my memory.

 

You will hear from me whenever matters of surgical interest occur.

 

I remain

Very Respectfully

Your obt. Servt.

E. de W. Breneman

Asst Surgeon

U.S.A.

NY Times features Harvey Cushing's brain collection

We have a lot of similar brain collections  -

 

Inside Neurosurgery's Rise

By RANDI HUTTER EPSTEIN, M.D.

Published: August 23, 2010

Chunks of brains preserved at Yale exemplify the evolution of 20th-century American medicine.

Letter of the Day: August 25

War Department,

Surgeon General’s Office,

Washington, D.C., Aug 25, 1884

 

Asst Surg. W Matthews:

Asst Curator A.M.M.

 

Sir:

 

In the portion of turkeys liver, contributed by Asst Surgeon Shannon U.S.A. and referred to me for microscopical examination, I find numerous nodules, a portion of which have undergone cystic degeneration of a peculiar character. They are neither carcinomatous or sarcomatous.

 

Very respectfully

Your obdt servant

J.C. McConnell M.D.

Museum exhibit featured in Washington City Paper

Wounded in Action at the National Museum of Health and Medicine By John Anderson on August 20, 2010

Letter of the Day: August 24

Fort Bridger, Utah

August 24^th 1868.

 

Sir:

 

In reply to your communication dated January 14^th 1868, concerning specimens for the Army Medical Museum, I will state that opportunities of observing the results of “injuries + surgical diseases of the lower animals” at this post are very limited + nothing has come under my observation since the date of your letter that could be contributed to the section of the Museum illustrative of the subject.

 

Large wild game such as buffalo, elk, deer, antelope +c, are not found in this immediate vicinity + such is very seldom indeed brought to the post.

 

As a consequence of the scarcity of game no bands of Indians camp near hear except during a short time in the early summer when they collect to receive annuities, + are soon off for their fishing and hunting grounds again. I have not known of the death of an Indian in this locality since I have been stationed at the post – hence have had no opportunity of collecting crania.

 

During the present summer I have obtained specimens of bows + arrows from three tribes that have passed through the post – the Shoshone, Bannack + Ute – the weapons will be sent to the museum by Express + it will be observed that there is much similarity in those of the three tribes – all of them roving over the country in different direction within 200 miles of the post. The bows of all are usually made of the bow of oxyokes obtained along the several emigrant routes through the country. When first obtained they are soaked in hot water until they become pliable, + are bent into their present shape, reversing the curve as found. The component curve in the middle of the bow is thus easily obtained. The front or outer part of the bow is then curved with shreds of tendons obtained from along the spine of their game – either deer or buffalo. This is securely fastened on, as will be observed, by glue, which the Indian makes from the hoof or horn of the game. The elasticity of the bow is increased in this way.

 

The strings they make of tendons also.

 

The specimen of the Shoshone bow is one of the finest I have ever seen both as regards finish and springs. The remark about the similarity of the bows will apply also to the arrows. Those of the Utes are shorter than the arrows of either of the other tribes + the feathers extend along a greater proportionate length of the arrow. The grooves along the arrows are not made of a uniform curvature, but with these three tribes, they will be found much more tortuous than on the arrows of the Sioux, Cheyenne + Arapahoes, who roam on the Eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. The grooves in their arrows are nearly straight. The object of these grooves is to facilitate the escape of blood while the arrow remains in the body of the animal.

 

The feathers on the arrows in these specimens, it will be seen, are fastened only at the extremities. On the arrows of some tribes they are attached the entire length of the feathers by glue.

 

The base of the arrow heads of these tribes are never bearded, + in some instances, as in the forwarded specimens of the Ute arrow, the slope of the base is in the opposite way, as if to facilitate its removal from the body. The Sioux, I am informed make their arrow heads more or less bearded. The round pointed arrows are used in shooting small games such as rabbits, birds, prairie dogs +c

 

The tomahawk sent is a weapon not often carried by the tribe from which I obtained it + the buck who had it, displayed it from his quiver more as an ornament than otherwise. These instruments are made in the East and sold to the Indians by traders. The specimen I forwarded is made to be used as a pipe, but it is of doubtful utility in that respect + seems not to have been used as such by the owner.

 

I send also a specimen of a Navajo arrow said to have been poisoned. A dark substance may be observed adhering to the arrow just above the head.

 

This description of the articles sent may not be desired but as it may not be entirely devoid of interest to yourself or to others, I have thought it best to give it.

 

The articles I have forwarded were purchased of Indians for cash to the amount of twenty-seven dollars. This may be regarded as an unreasonable expenditure for things of so little intrinsic value, but in consequences of the liberal prices they always obtain for every thing they sell at this post, I was unable to get them at a lower rate.

 

In the same package I send the bones of a fractured elbow joint from the accidental discharge of a gun loaded with eleven buckshot, the muzzle being within a few inches of the part at the time of the discharge of the piece. If a report of the case is desired I will be very happy to furnish it.

 

Very Respectfully

Your Obt. Servant

W. E. Waters,

Asst. Surg. U.S. Army

 

Bvt. Lt. Col. Geo. A. Otis

Asst. Surg. U.S. Army

Surgeon General’s Office

Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

Letter of the Day: August 23

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 875

August 23, 1895

Dr Lee, Jr.
Grass Lake, Mich.


Dear Sir:

In answer to your letter of the 21st inst., to Dr. J.S. Billings, U.S. Army, I would state that it is not customary for this Museum to purchase such specimens, and that the price offered by Dr. Billings, viz., $20.00 is considered its full value, as far as this Museum is concerned.

Very respectfully,

D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Army Medical Museum and Library.